Dark Predator
by Sebastien V
Summary: Vampires of the future, no mere fantacy. (From the universe of STNG)


Dark Predator  
  
Mystery  
Six months ago, on its continuing exploration of the galaxy, the U.S.S. Vision came across a planet deemed too primitive for first contact. However, Starfleet Command decided they would send a team of specialists to observe the population of the planet now known as Feratu. They were most intrigued by our sensor readings that showed that although there were very advanced structures on the surface, structures similarly as advanced in architecture as Earth's, there was absolutely no sign of space travel or any attempts of flight travel of any kind. So the Galileo, a galaxy class starship, arrived at the planet some time after we had moved on. Onboard was a team of 21 science specialists and 20 engineering specialists. 15 of the scientists and 15 of the engineers were to go to the surface and set up a base without being detected. The others of both teams were to remain on the Galileo for surveillance and technical assistance. On the surface, the latest technology was being used to mask their presence. Neither sensors nor the naked eye could have possibly detected the thirty men and women on the surface. Yet, two Earth days after they beamed down, the Galileo lost contact with them. One day later, with Starfleet's consent, a security team of 12 was sent down to the surface. None of the 42 men and women that beamed down to the planet was ever heard from again.  
Starfleet then contacted the Vision, and sent it back to the planet to investigate. A representative of the 6 scientists that had stayed onboard was beamed over to the Vision to possibly clear up some of the mystery involving this mission, but that was quickly becoming false hope.  
"We have no idea what happened, stated Lt. Commander Hiarotis, one by one we lost contact with the away team members, and none of them ever had a chance to tell us what was happening. They just disappeared from our sensors without a word."  
"Don't tell me that's all you've got?" inquired Commander Denis, the first officer. "We can't go down there with no more information than that security team that also mysteriously vanished."  
"Yes about that, the security team did say they thought they had seen something moving in the trees and bushes, but they waved it off as their imagination, mostly because they were taking tricorder readings and there were apparently no life signs anywhere near them."  
"So we can assume tricorders are useless, replied Lieutenant Rogean, the Andorian chief of security. So what do you propose we do to stay alive down there… You do have a proposal right?"  
"Actually, we are completely baffled! Heh heh… The reason you are here is because we don't know what to do! I'm here to tell you as much as I know and assist you in whatever way you need."  
"All right, let's put together a plan, ordered Captain Smith. Report to me as soon as any of you find something. Dismissed."  
The senior staff and Hiarotis then left the conference lounge to each make up some sort of plan with minimal information. It was Rogean who contacted the Captain with an idea. He thought that maybe the away team really had seen movement in the bushes, but hadn't thought of checking for it. Instead they were checking for life-signs when the possible enemies might have been using some kind of technology to mask themselves as the first away team had. Or maybe their body chemistry hid them from sensors, as had suggested Dr. Tria, the Bajoran chief medical officer. With this in mind, Rogean put together an away-team of five, including himself, a Vulcan Jr. Lieutenant named Solag, and three human Ensigns. They set their tricorders to detect movement and to tell them exactly where it was. They decided to beam down one kilometer away from where the Galileo security team had last been heard of.  
  
The Surface  
It was a peaceful afternoon in the semi-dense forest. Birds were singing, little ground animals were playing with fallen branches and leaves and five security officers were walking around, wondering how this place could possibly be hostile. Until they saw the dead humanoid corps of a species that looked almost exactly like humans. It had two little red dots on its neck, where blood had obviously been drained, because the body was missing a lot of blood (that is, if this species had a similar amount of blood in its body as humans did). They decided to have it beamed up to the ship for further analysis by the Doctor. They continued wandering around for approximately two hours, without finding any other bodies, when night fell upon them. That is when they got a feeling that this place was indeed hostile.  
All the earlier noises of animals and birds were completely gone. The only noises left were those of a slight breeze going through the leaves and the branches. Everything seemed normal, to the naked eye, but tricorders were detecting movement.  
"A lot of movement, sir, confirmed Ensign Gervais. And everywhere. The nearest life signs are much further away than this, so I'm assuming this is the trouble the other away teams ran into."  
"Sir, much of the movement that was closest to us has now stopped," reported an always calm, but alert Lt. Solag.  
Rogean surveyed the surrounding area, then turned to the others. "Alright team, this is it, keep your eyes peeled and all your other senses sharp. You guys are on this mission because I know you can do that. But, keep your tricorders open as well, I don't want any of us to vanish and, I want answers."  
The movement suddenly started again, but much closer, they could see bushes moving ten, maybe fifteen feet away. One of the two Ensigns that hadn't spoken yet was at the back of the group and decided to approach the "enemy".  
"Okay, I want to make sure everyone is here at all times, so we're going to call out the numbers I gave you earlier so that I know I haven't lost anyone." And Rogean added, "One."  
"Two," called Solag.  
"Three," called Ensign Ricci  
And that was all.  
"Where the hell are Gervais and Maleno?"  
And that's when Solag's heightened senses told him to turn around, just in time to land a fist right into an alien's forehead. Another quick movement, and the opponent was knocked unconscious thanks to a professionally planted nerve pinch. "Sir, we should go." But looking around him, he saw only Ricci was left crouching next to him with her phaser riffle waving frantically at the bushes surrounding them. Solag's unbreakable nerves did not fail him as he called for emergency beam out for three.  
  
Discovery  
Captain Smith entered Sickbay and stopped, as soon as he had passed the doorway. As the doors swooshed closed behind him, he stared at the individual standing a couple of feet in front of him. He was magnificent looking man. His hair was dark and long. His body posture reminded Smith of a wolf. He had a nose ridge shaped in a V with a smaller upside down V in the crease of the other, but it was much smoother than Bajoran nose ridges. Most striking was his eyes. They were so pale, so clear that it seemed they were as deep as the universe itself. As the man realized he was being probed, he showed off his canines with a hissing sound similar to that of a cat. He had fangs. Smith was instantly reminded of a myth his parents had told him about while he was still a child. This man looked and acted just like a vampire!  
It was Dr. Tria that snapped him out of it. "He's behind a level ten force field sir. Although that didn't stop him from draining my best nurse before I could erect it."  
Smith then looked at the medical bed to his side and saw Lt. Gillela, a now very pale human with two red marks on her neck. Her life signs had been stabilized, but she had lost much blood. He then turned his attention to Tria. "Didn't you tell me this guy was dead?"  
Before she could answer, Lt. Solag burst in with three other security officers and the still unconscious alien. "We should restrain this man behind a force field as soon as possible… Although I see you already know that," he said, looking at the other alien. Both aliens had the exact same features, except that one of them was a male, the other a female.  
"Dr., you were going to tell me how this man was resurrected?" inquired a quickly growing impatient Smith.  
"Yes, well, I don't know the specifics, but from what my initial scans tell me, a virus was in him and it reformulated his body so that he would be alive again. What's strange is that only a couple of his organs are functional, yet he's right there, in seemingly good health. Oh, and he has no body temperature, which would explain why we could not detect his kind."  
"Does he drink blood to survive?"  
"Yes. Captain, how did you know?"  
"Just an educated guess, but how does he survive like this? Does he need to eat?"  
"From what I can tell, no. The only things that work in his body are his lungs, heart, nervous system, muscles, which are exceptionally strong by the way, and his brain. My hypothesis is that somehow, he can process certain types of blood, and feed off of it. Since the species that he used to be was approximately ninety eight percent similar to humans, and our blood, ninety-nine percent similar, I suppose that is why Lt. Gillela was a good snack."  
"If this is true, Lt. Gillela is now infected with this virus and will eventually become one of these aliens," explained Solag.  
"Yes, I know and I have started working on a counter virus, but I don't know if I'll be ready by the time Gillela will… change."  
"Dr. Tria." A message was coming through the comm. system. "Medical emergency, I'm beaming Cmdr. Rogean directly to Sickbay."  
  
Savior  
"I guess I got lucky then, supposed Rogean. They mustn't like the taste of my blood because, right after he bit me, the man started burning up, his body became like ashes within seconds!"  
"You just saved Gillela, Commander." After treating Rogean for his slight loss of blood (slight in comparison to Gillela's loss), Tria was able to make an anti-virus, and was administering it to her nurse. She had discovered that the Andorian's blood had a natural combatant to the virus and had been able to use that in her counter virus.  
"But, how come none of the non-humans on the other away teams survived? I thought you said they couldn't feed from us?"  
"They can't, but they won't die from any other blood than Andorian blood."  
The female alien woke up then, behind a separate force field. Her voice was soft yet aggressive all at once and with a hint of the hissing sound the other had made when she spoke. "Send us back to our planet."  
Captain Smith was furious at this demand. "We will do no suck thing. You assaulted a Federation officer. You are in a lot of trouble, and you're not go…"  
"I did not assault a 'Federation officer', I attacked my prey. A girl has to eat after all, wouldn't you agree?" And she smiled, a very devilish smile. "Besides, I've been around for 256 years, I need a little variety from the usual meals."  
  
Epilogue  
After talking it over with his senior staff and Starfleet Command, Smith was given no choice but to release the aliens back to their planet. However, he was given the right to name the planet and it's inhabitants. And so he remembered the tale of the vampire he had so enjoyed, even though it had given him nightmare and he named the planet Feratu and it's people, Nosferiens. He thought it had a nice ring to it. He was also ordered to put out a warning beacon, so that no one would make the same mistake of exploring the planet surface.  
Nurse Gillela was doing fine thanks to blood transfers and of course, Cmdr. Rogean's natural antidote.  
Ensign Ricci, who was a great fan of holo-novels and other holodeck adventures, decided she would look into vampire stories, and create one of her own soon.  
On the Bridge, this chapter was already closed, but not forgotten as Captain Smith got out of his ready room. "Lieutenant Fletcher, set a course for Karnaz 3, and engage at warp factor five." He shifted his attention to his first officer and lowered his voice. "You know, I'm looking forward to Ensign Ricci's holodeck program, I've always been fascinated by vampires…"  



End file.
